Pamela R. Bennett, an assistant professor of sociology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, has conducted a study from 2010 U.S. census date on the residential segregation patterns of mixed-race Americans.
Dr. Bennett examined where people lived who had checked off more than one race on their census form. Her data showed that multiracial Americans occupy a social position between those of Whites and Blacks. She found that people who identified themselves as having both Black and White heritage were less segregated in their housing patterns than were people who identified themselves as African Americans. But, her data showed that people who self-identified themselves as Black and White were more likely to be segregated in where they live than people who identified themselves as being White and another racial or ethnic group.
Bennett concludes, “While some scholars and activists view official recognition of multiracial identities as a movement toward the deconstruction of race, I caution against such an optimistic narrative for now.”
Dr. Bennett holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Louisiana State University. She earned a Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan.
